Remembering Arturo "Thunder" Gatti

By Dylon Silversey

It has been a year since Arturo Gatti has left this earth. Leaving in such a sketchy way, that left many questions unanswered. In the public eye, lawsuits and persecutions have surrounded the situation, rather than tributes and recollections of his life. However, fans like me will always remember “Thunder” for his trilogy of fights with Micky Ward, and never say die attitude.

The first time I ever saw Gatti fight was the first Ward fight. Sitting there with my Grandfather, a boxing fanatic, we sat there and watched as these two warriors traded blows round after round. Using his speed and power in the first few rounds, Gatti, seemingly frustrated that he could do nothing to budge the determined Ward. It was during ninth round, as Gatti was getting up from being knocked down by a hellacious body shot, wincing in enough pain to keep any man down. Yet kept throwing punches hoping one would connect and send Ward to the canvas. This is when I realized how Gatti defined all that boxing should be about.

Even though he would eventually lose that fight, the way Gatti never gave in the rest of the ninth round, gave every single bit of energy in his body, and seriously risked life and limb. He still turned me into one of the biggest supporters of his.

Gatti continued on to give us five more years, and nine more fights, of action packed entertainment. And although he didn’t win them all, you were sure to be guaranteed to get your monies worth. Most likely we will never find out what really happened in that hotel in Brazil, but during the first anniversary of his death, remember Gatti for his boxing abilities, fun-loving demeanor, and classic battles, rather than the out of the ring controversies. There will never be another one like him.

R.I.P Arturo “Thunder” Gatti